siddsaysgimmie
Well-known member
If you have a rabbit with signs of flystrike, what should you do? A friend lost a bunny and I want to know what the best thing to do for them is in that situation... if there is anything at all.
Flystrike
- Thread starter siddsaysgimmie
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keep the wounds covered and clean, as for the fly strike you have to have the right stuff, I'm sure someone will be by to advise what they think is best
Once the maggots are growing, they have to be flushed from the wound IF (and that's a question) the animal is to survive.
the difference between beneficial maggots and fly strike is the maggots eat good flesh, and will kill a rabbit (or dog) in less than 24 hours.
Best way is to prevent it
Once the maggots are growing, they have to be flushed from the wound IF (and that's a question) the animal is to survive.
the difference between beneficial maggots and fly strike is the maggots eat good flesh, and will kill a rabbit (or dog) in less than 24 hours.
Best way is to prevent it
siddsaysgimmie
Well-known member
Thanks. What are some ways to prevent flies in/around the rabbitry? Still would like to know what to do exactly if you notice it, though.
AmysMacdog
Well-known member
I have had flystrike on the old property and I don't know why but I lost a couple of rabbits to it for seemingly no reason and the rabbits were put down only to stop the flies attack! I was clueless and had to work so I couldn't leave them to be "blown by flies." I had 10 rabbits but the flies would pick one and go after it. In every case the rabbit seemed healthy.
These rabbits were attacked at different times and I never figured out why the flies were attracked to that rabbit at that time. They were laying eggs on the rabbits even though I could find nothing wrong and they were eating and drinking. I saved one doe by bathing and her and keeping her inside for a week on Apple cider vinegar. She was the third strike. She survived.
On this property in 7 years its never happened. Only if a bunny died during this recent virus did flies bother the bunnies and only dead bunnies!
So if it happens again I would bath area the flies are after, keep rabbit inside until dry and scrub the cage and move the cage to a new place or remove all manure where it was and somehow deoderise it. When rabbit is put back out watch it for several hours to be sure flies don't come back!!!! They did on mine thats why she wound up in the house for a week. She was acting fine but the flies wouldn't stop!! :x My best guess was at the time was an urinary infection but not sure to this day. I Just hope it doesn't happen ever again!
I hope this helps and I hope you never have to deal with it!
These rabbits were attacked at different times and I never figured out why the flies were attracked to that rabbit at that time. They were laying eggs on the rabbits even though I could find nothing wrong and they were eating and drinking. I saved one doe by bathing and her and keeping her inside for a week on Apple cider vinegar. She was the third strike. She survived.
On this property in 7 years its never happened. Only if a bunny died during this recent virus did flies bother the bunnies and only dead bunnies!
So if it happens again I would bath area the flies are after, keep rabbit inside until dry and scrub the cage and move the cage to a new place or remove all manure where it was and somehow deoderise it. When rabbit is put back out watch it for several hours to be sure flies don't come back!!!! They did on mine thats why she wound up in the house for a week. She was acting fine but the flies wouldn't stop!! :x My best guess was at the time was an urinary infection but not sure to this day. I Just hope it doesn't happen ever again!
I hope this helps and I hope you never have to deal with it!
Check rabbits for messy butts and wounds.
Clean the butts and gob Vaseline to the wound as larva can't move through it very well.
Check that rabbit daily for fly eggs being laid near the area and scrape them off into salt or very salty water to kill them. And apply the salty water to the area to kill any you missed, try not to get the wound as it will burn/hurt the bunny.
If its too late and they have hatched and are eating the rabbit alive then I would cull.
BUT
If you choose to treat then bring the rabbit in and be prepared to be disgusted.
First use tweezers to get as many out as possible. Flushing with slightly salty water will help but this will feel like fire to the maggots and they will be wiggling like crazy.
Be careful not to make the pocket of infection bigger or squirt them in deeper to the area.
Keep the rabbit in the house and check daily for any you missed, one maggot can do a lot of damage and will be deficating in your rabbit until it drops out to form a pupa. Keep the bun inside until it heals but it is difficult to clean it out completely and you may get an abscess a month or two later and have to over start again.
Clean the butts and gob Vaseline to the wound as larva can't move through it very well.
Check that rabbit daily for fly eggs being laid near the area and scrape them off into salt or very salty water to kill them. And apply the salty water to the area to kill any you missed, try not to get the wound as it will burn/hurt the bunny.
If its too late and they have hatched and are eating the rabbit alive then I would cull.
BUT
If you choose to treat then bring the rabbit in and be prepared to be disgusted.
First use tweezers to get as many out as possible. Flushing with slightly salty water will help but this will feel like fire to the maggots and they will be wiggling like crazy.
Be careful not to make the pocket of infection bigger or squirt them in deeper to the area.
Keep the rabbit in the house and check daily for any you missed, one maggot can do a lot of damage and will be deficating in your rabbit until it drops out to form a pupa. Keep the bun inside until it heals but it is difficult to clean it out completely and you may get an abscess a month or two later and have to over start again.
AmysMacdog
Well-known member
Good to know about the salty water Dood.
Dood's not kidding about being disgusted. When I worked for the vet, we saw alot of maggots on dogs in the summer time. People just don't realize with big hairy dogs that live outside what can happen then one day the dog "stinks" and they bring it in for a bath and its got maggots eating away at a hotspot, wound or infection of somekind! They are gross and have a peticular odor that goes with them. Yuck!
Dood's not kidding about being disgusted. When I worked for the vet, we saw alot of maggots on dogs in the summer time. People just don't realize with big hairy dogs that live outside what can happen then one day the dog "stinks" and they bring it in for a bath and its got maggots eating away at a hotspot, wound or infection of somekind! They are gross and have a peticular odor that goes with them. Yuck!
Many types of maggots are beneficial, they are 'greedy' eaters and actually PREVENT infection
the difference is fly strike invades the wound and eats the rabbit ALIVE from the inside
you can give the rabbit toxins to kill the maggots, but then that causes issues (and can/will kill the rabbit from the inflammatory reaction to the dead maggots)
There are things you can put on the or irrigate the wound with that will drive the maggots out, but, the more powerful, the more the maggot is driven...
well, you can make them go deeper too.
the difference is fly strike invades the wound and eats the rabbit ALIVE from the inside
you can give the rabbit toxins to kill the maggots, but then that causes issues (and can/will kill the rabbit from the inflammatory reaction to the dead maggots)
There are things you can put on the or irrigate the wound with that will drive the maggots out, but, the more powerful, the more the maggot is driven...
well, you can make them go deeper too.
siddsaysgimmie
Well-known member
Thank you, everyone. Good to know. Poor Dream. :'( We co-owned her but she was born here and was one of my favorites. My friend did all she could but it was too late... so sad, what an awful way for a such a sweet and spunky bunny to go. She was due to have babies the next day, too. Sigh.
Best ways to prevent flies? I have fly tape up and clean the bunnies often, but there are still some flies down there. Not many, but I want to do what I can to prevent them. I will be checking butts at least once a day and cleaning them cages more often.
Best ways to prevent flies? I have fly tape up and clean the bunnies often, but there are still some flies down there. Not many, but I want to do what I can to prevent them. I will be checking butts at least once a day and cleaning them cages more often.
